WA State Carbon tax is already hitting our pocket books...

Here we go again. Washington state government has become involved in issues that penalize all of us and do nothing to achieve the stated goals. The Washington state taxpayer has pockets so deep that there isn't a state tax that he or she didn't think was great. I wonder if you talked with a state taxpayer if they'd agree with that statement? So where's the disconnect?

The average fuel price in Washington again rises after five straight weeks of price increases.

According to AAA data, the average price of regular unleaded was $4.18 on Monday, up from $4.13 a week ago.

The national average remains flat this week despite fuel prices rising slightly over the past few weeks.

Over the past two days, gas prices have dipped to $3.41 before creeping upwards, and this trend is expected to continue into next week, AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross said.

The Evergreen State has the fourth most expensive gas prices in the country, behind only Nevada, California, and Hawaii, which placed third to first.

Texans currently pay $4.18 per gallon, which is $1.18 above Washington's least expensive gasoline rate of $3.00 per gallon. Washington is 77 cents per gallon higher than the national average of $3.41.

Across Washington, the intra-state variance is still high at $1.33 per gallon, up from $1.24 per gallon last week. San Juan and Asotin counties have the most and least expensive gas prices statewide at $4.94 and $3.61, respectively.

The price variance still follows the Cascade Range, with residents in the west paying a higher premium at the pump.

Washingtonians will also have to pay more at the pump starting on Jan. 1 this year due to a new cap-and-trade system.

Washington's gas prices have already spiked 10 cents per gallon compared to California and Oregon, according to a recent report by the Washington Policy Center's Environmental Director Todd Meyers.

Washington state's prices have jumped suddenly over the last two weeks much more than the other West Coast states, according to the report.

The full impact of the new carbon tax will not be known until regular auctions occur. The report notes that the new law “sets a minimum price of $22/metric ton of CO2, which is 17 cents per gallon. The price could go as high as $81/MT, or 65 cents per gallon.”

The Washington state taxpayer keeps forking out more money in the form of higher taxes and prices to the state, and what are we getting in return? Here's what we're getting in return, we're being told that everything is getting worse and that the state needs more taxes and price increases... Imagine if you used the same philosophy to raise your kids.